Her Armor
by hawkstar2
Summary: *Set after the events of the Crooked Kingdom.* "I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all." Kaz's progress with not wearing his gloves begins to diminish and Inej has one last shot at getting through to him.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just a little something I've been toying with in my head today. First time writing about Six of Crows, so fingers crossed!**

 **Disclaimer: I'm not Leigh Bardugo and I am not seeking monetary gain.**

Inej POV

Kaz had been doing well at leaving his gloves aside when he was around Inej, so well in fact that the two of them had almost forgotten it was ever too much of a problem before.

But something recently had changed. Something drawing him back to his guarded, reserved self, away from Inej and away from the progress they had made together.

And Inej had had enough. The Wraith would not be defeated this easily. The anniversary of Jordie's death or not, it was not going to take Kaz away from her and destroy all the hope and healing they had been through together.

She mentioned it to him once, when the crisp, dank air of Ketterdam forced him to shove his glove-less hands into his coat and retrieve his leather gloves. She knew once they were on it wasn't just a brisk night-air scenario.

"Bad memories. It'll pass Inej, don't mention it again" had been his curt reply.

Bad memories. Huh, well at the very least at least Kaz was admitting he had vulnerabilities now.

-  
Inej left Wylan's early the next morning before anyone had stirred to make her way into the posh district of the depressing city. Once there she found a tailor and made her ostentatious purchase. Inej never had been one for constraints, her tight shoes were about as constricting as she liked to be in, and even those served a phenomenal function.

These gloves on the other hand, would serve an even greater purpose than she gave them credit for. At least she hoped that is.

She crept down the rooftop of Kaz's office until she was perched on the window ledge and removed a small stale loaf of bread to scatter for the crows. Kaz would surely know she was here already, but this small gesture enticing the boisterous creatures to formally announce her presence was enjoyable to her.

Kaz appeared next to her in the small window, opened it up, and leaned against the frame.

His hands were ungloved.

Perfect, thought Inej, this is exactly what she was hoping for.

Kaz POV

The early light of the morning lit the sky like a warm flame. Kaz knew Inej was on the window sill, she'd been coming to him with information in exchange of other information in regards to prostitution rings still rebelling against her wrath in the underground.

Well, that and, other things.

My company? Kaz thought hopefully. He'd done a lot of soul-searching these last few months, but as the days crept nearer the fogginess of the city and the clammy air of the harbor when he went with Inej was getting the better of him.

Was he right to trust her about Jordie? He'd really screwed up when he had called Jesper Jordie's name and he knew it, everyone knew it. It was that moment upon further reflection that he admitted he needed to trust someone. He needed to share this burden with someone.

Inej was that person. She had to be, after all this time, after everything they had been through together, if there was one person in all of this godforsaken city, hell this world, that he could—that he needed to—trust, it was Inej. His Wraith. No, not his, he needed to remind himself of this, he couldn't refer to her as "his Wraith". Kaz Brekker wasn't the only one getting over a cruddy past here, and with all the thought Inej had put into helping him, he owed it to her to not use possessive innuendos.

He had taken off his gloves in anticipation of her arrival. He knew that he had been slipping up recently and reverting back to his "old ways". Kaz may seem uncaring, but no one could call him unobservant.

"Morning, Wraith." Kaz murmured as he wedged himself into the open window frame.

Inej's eyes didn't leave the crows, happily cawing away as they devoured the bread she'd brought for them. If Kaz didn't know better he'd swear Inej was sleeping, her eyes narrow slits in the rising sun that painted her rich skin a color singular to her in all the world.

Inej's mouth quirked slightly, almost imperceptibly, when she replied, "Morning Dirtyhands. Fancy a drink?"

Kaz had been up for a while yet and hadn't yet had any coffee, so he agreed and leaned over to grab his cane. Inej slipped quietly through the window after blowing a slight kiss towards the birds, thoroughly distracting Kaz in a way he wasn't yet ready to admit.

They walked in silence down the stirring street to the barista and ordered two coffees and set out for the docks. Kaz's stomach churned, and not because of the sludgy tar that somehow passed as a consumable beverage. He pitched his cup and buried his fists into his coat.

Inej didn't miss a beat, she glared up to him with eyes of steel.

You're terrifyingly beautiful. "How's the ship?"

Inej was having none of his small talk, and he knew it by the intense set of her lower lip, not pouty, not upset, madly determined. She scooted closer to him against the building and turned to stand his equal next to him, slipped her slender arm out of her own pocket and let it lay resting against the wall beside him. Daring him he knew. She always knew how to push him to the absolute limits of his control, to push him dangerously closer and closer to the edge. He couldn't do this. Not here. Not right now. But what was he to do? He couldn't deny her, that would only spell disaster, but grasping another human hand, the undeniable flesh on flesh feeling that encompassed contact was too much. He was going to be sick. He was going to be sick and pass out all because this stupid water and this stupid air and this stupid city.

"Kaz?" Inej's voice was hardly a whisper. "I'm right here. I need you to do this. Please."

Kaz's breathe shook with the effort to compose himself. He had to do this. He had to do this for her.

He drew a shaking hand out of his coat and dropped it beside Inej's on the dilapidated wall.

Inej POV

She knew she was losing him. Fast. This blasted water and cold air was stealing him from her as it always did. Ruthless and relentless.

 _I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all._

That was her. She had said that. It was all she could say to emphasize that he needed to reclaim this part of him that was so near hopelessly gone.

"Kaz?" Inej barely breathed, if there had been a strong wind her words would have been carried away from her. "I'm right here. I need you to do this. Please." She had added the 'Please' for good measure, to not seem as intimidating. He had no idea she was the one cloaked in armor this time.

But ruthless or not, this was her last hope, her last idea, her last glimmer of a light at the end of such a dark tunnel.

Inej almost didn't realize he had started to lift his hand from his coat pocket, too wrapped up in her own anxieties about the situation until she felt the closeness of his hand, his unguarded, unarmored hand, shaking uncontrollably, his fear beginning the devouring process of swallowing him whole.

Inej moved her gloved hand a hair's length and laid it to rest in the open, bare palm of Kaz Brekker.

Who promptly jerked away and turned his entire body to Inej. His pale face startlingly white, eyes in shocked, and breathing ragged.

"What is? What have you?" Kaz's thoughts came out in barely cohesive ramblings.

"Calm down, Kaz." Inej turned so now her body was equally framed to his, so close if she sneezed she'd give him a bloody nose.

Kaz pulled his supporting arm from the wall and took her gloved hand, gentle as if he were handling the most precious manuscript in history. His shaking, pale hands cradled her dainty gloved ones with careful precision. He interlocked their fingers and unwound them, then he pressed Inej's two hands between his and met her eyes with a force of emotion like Inej had never seen.

Kaz POV

Kaz prided himself on seldom if ever being one-upped, out-smarted, out-planned.

But if anyone could take him by complete and utter surprise, no shock, terror, astonishment, it was the Wraith.

Kaz's bare hands folded around Inej's gloved hands. The hands he knew were there, so delicate and strong, blockaded from him by a thin layer of sheepskin.

 _I understand now, you magnificent, beautiful, clever godsend._ "Inej…" Kaz's eyes bore into hers, a bomb could go off next to them and it wouldn't break this connection.

He pulled off the gloves and dropped them to the cobblestones below them, grasping both her small, warm hands into his. Her pulse was erratic beneath his fingertips, or maybe that was his, it was honestly hard to tell at this point.

Inej's eyes began to shine with moisture, which she promptly blinked away. "Yes, Kaz Brekker?"

"Thank you." _I love you so much._

It made sense now. What he had been petrified by for the better part of his life was all wrong. This interaction, Inej's light hands in his, they pulsed with warmth, with the life of someone who cared, someone who was here, someone who was willing to go through this battle alongside him and weather the storm it brought.

He dropped her hands to embrace her shoulders, not even having to pull her to him as their bodies crashed into one another, nothing unfamiliar, nothing rough around the edges. Inej shuddered with a breath that she had evidently been holding for quite some time, her warm breathing soft on the crook of his neck as she replied, "Thank you too, Kaz."

Kaz would still wear the gloves when dealing with people. He was getting better at not wearing them at Wylan and Jesper's home. It was a work in progress, but one thing was certain, Inej would never again feel the barrier of anything between them, he would make sure of that.

 **A/N: So this idea just kind of came to me today that what if Inej wore a pair of gloves to get through to Kaz what it was like on the receiving end of the situation. I've just recently finished the Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom duology and it has consumed my life. Please let me know what you thought and if the characters were believable! Thanks so much for reading this—rather long—oneshot! (Or will there be more…..)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I couldn't help it. I can't leave these two alone they are officially my obsession! I know I said this story would be a one-shot, but I just had to revisit…**

 **Disclaimer: I'm not Leigh Bardugo**

Kaz POV

They walked back to Kaz's flat in a comfortable silence, hand-in-ungloved-hand, relishing in the sensation that was flesh to flesh contact.

"So what made you decide to purchase a pair of gloves?" Kaz had had enough, he just had to know.

Inej smiled coyly, "You made me angry. All the hard work we had done," she lifted their joined hands and shook them slightly, "all this progress leading up to this was beginning to be disturbed. And I am not defeated that easily. So I decided the only way to really get through to you was to shock you into realization. I felt like I was losing you." Inej's voice began to grow softer towards the end. Kaz could tell that the brave facade in the beginning of Inej's speech had dropped dramatically. He squeezed her slender hand as a point of contact, a reassurance.

"You'll never lose me." _Oh, Inej if you only knew. Shit did I say that out loud?_

Inej didn't show expression, if she was shocked she didn't flinch, if she was embarrassed she didn't blush, if she was relieved, well maybe she did let out a small breath. Or was that something Kaz imagined?

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Dirtyhands." Inej whispered.

Kaz had business to attend to with the books when they returned to the flat, so Inej busied herself with feeding the crows again, much to Kaz's protest.

"They're not going to be able to fly soon if you continue to feed them."

"They're my friends."

And that was the end of the argument. Kaz couldn't deny that Inej had a way with the beasts. He could open the window on any given day and be greeted by a barrage of squawks. Inej on the other hand? Happy cawing and cute little bounces towards the window.

"How do you fancy diner with Wylan and Jesper today? Wylan told me to ask." Inej had just returned from a quick message run and had evidently made a stop by Wylan's on the way back.

Kaz turned with a slightly disgruntled look on his face. "That would mean inevitable interaction with Wylan and Jesper." He stated flatly.

"Well, yes typically agreeing to dinner involves interacting with the hosts." Inej reasoned, "Wylan's been asking for you to come over for weeks, I think he misses your company."

Kaz grinned despite himself. He was beginning to miss the adventures they'd had well over a year ago. The plotting, the planning, the glorious execution. Though none of them but Inej had heard from Nina more than a handful of letters, and even those were more along the lines of cliff notes of her life now.

"So I'll take that as a yes. I'll see you there in an hour." Inej sounded pleased despite her effort to keep a calm demeanor and promptly exited out the crow's window, chattering 'excuse me' as she tip-toed along the roof.

Wylan POV

"He had better agree this time. I've only been having Inej ask him for weeks now…" Wylan was studiously signing his name on a stack of letters and checks. Jesper had already gone over the documents, nit-picking every detail that didn't pan out. Presently he had his shoes on the edge of the desk, chair leaning back, polishing yet another new pistol. Wylan had recently put in for some personalized pistols, a token of his insurmountable appreciation for Jesper's devotion to helping manage the Van Eck corporation, and cash money was out of the question, so guns were the next best thing. Jesper may be getting better with his gambling, but Wylan figured this would bring about a prolonged feeling of happiness than a biweekly paystub.

"Do we know for certain that Inej has been asking? I mean, if you asked me to go ask Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands and Master of the Barrel over for dinner, ehhh I'd probably lie and say I did." Jesper held his pistol at an arm's distance and aimed at the wall, mock-shooting at the bust on the shelf.

Wylan set down his fountain pen, a gift from Jesper after Wylan had perfected his 'businessman signature', and crossed his arms, smearing some ink on his sweater.

"You don't think…"

"All the days she didn't come home for dinner after you've asked her to talk to Kaz? Oh, honey, of course I think that she either didn't ask or she stayed for dinner with Ka—"

"Stayed for what, Jesper?" Inej sauntered into the office with a daring smile on her face. She loved living here, mainly she loved that she was still able to sneak up on these two, it was like they never learned.

"Inej my girl what's up Wylan and I were just taking bets at whether or not you'd show up tonight!"

"I was not betting on anything with you." Wylan grumbled.

Inej propped herself up on the edge of the desk and fiddle with a novelty spinning globe on the corner of the massive oak and marble desk. "Kaz will be here in 45 minutes." She stated casually.

"I'll alert the staff to set another placement!" Wylan on the other hand, never tried to conceal his excitement.

"Already done." Inej softly jumped off the desk. "I'm going to take a quick bath."

A few moments later, and after Jesper had watched Inej ascend the staircase to her room and shut the door, he turned back to Wylan, savage victory in his eyes, "I TOLD YOU."

Wylan flipped him a kruge and rolled his eyes. "Fine, you were right." He couldn't help but chuckle at Jesper's unbridled glee at being right, even if it was about Inej not being reliable in transmitting invites.

Fist-bumping in the air a couple times, Jesper set aside his victory to slide behind Wylan's desk and take his slender hands into his callused ones. Wylan immediately blushed. He had to get better at this whole emotion-control thing.

Jesper smiled warmly and tugged Wylan out of his ever-occupied chair, "Come on, let's go prepare ourselves for some much anticipated Kaz Brekker company."

Wylan complied, and reddened further, if humanly possible, after Jesper left a quick kiss on top his curly hair.

Kaz POV

Why did I agree to this?

Kaz grumbled as he limped down the street to Wylan's. He'd been invited by Inej earlier that day and given that he hadn't seen Wylan recently with the exception of the occasional accounting assistance he did when Jesper came-up stumped, he probably owed it to the little scrap to stop by.

Inej was waiting on the front porch, if such an elaborate structure could be called simply a porch, wearing her usual sleek darkness, hair in a loose braid, waiting attentively for his arrival.

"Hey, you made it."

"Figured I'd catch hell if I didn't." Kaz lifted a corner of his mouth to show he was only slightly joking.

"Come on, you'll enjoy it."

And was she ever right. Wylan and Jesper's dinner was better than anything Kaz had eaten in the last few months. Maybe he'd have to invite himself over more often if this was the kind of quality meats and vegetable that the Van Eck chefs whipped up.

It was obvious that Wylan was exhausted. Meetings and paperwork were becoming more and more routine, but even after well over a year of heading his father's corporation he was only beginning to grasp the ins and outs of running so many accounts and policies. There was some quaint small talk, Jesper showed off some of his new pistols that Wylan kept spoiling him with, and Wylan showcased some artwork that was new to the home, then Kaz stood to take his leave.

"Thank you, Wylan, it's been a pleasure, I'll try to get around more often to catch up." Kaz shrugged on his coat, grasped his cane, and set out into the streets of Ketterdam.

He felt the familiar presence on the gutters above him and paused to look up.

"Is it that obvious tonight?" he asked the crisp night air.

Inej dropped down beside his bad leg and walked weightlessly beside him, matching him step-for-step.

"It's just the weather, but you look like an easy target so I figured I'd escort you home."

Kaz tsked a laugh and shook his head. "Just the weather…" this leg would be the end of his sanity, whatever was left of it anyhow.

It was only a few blocks more until they arrived back at the flat, Kaz bustling quickly to get the door unlocked and get the two of them out of the steady showers, quickly obviously growing into a full-on torrential downpour of biblical proportions.

Kaz shrugged his soggy, heavy coat off and onto the hook by the door and made the rounds of checking his windows to make sure they'd stayed locked. Satisfied, he sat on his chair and began pulling off his shoes, soaking wet, socks, also soaking wet, and undoing his suitcoat, vest, and button-down shirt underneath until he looked like a bar bum with half-soaked pants and a shirt clinging to his chest.

Inej stood in the corner in the shadows, quietly observing.

"So, I'll be on my way then." She crossed the room, careful to not bump Kaz's outstretched leg as she passed, when a crash of lightning lit up the room like it was only meant for lighting that one room.

Kaz shot his hand out and grasped her wrist, _I can do this, I can do this_.

"Stay here with me." Kaz murmured. "Your clothes are soaked and you may wash away if you go out now." _Stay with me, let me feel like this first thing in the morning too._

Heart pounding in his throat, the events of the earlier morning flash through Kaz's mind as he realizes that this can be the time that he proves to her that she won't ever lose him.

Inej gulped and shook her head, carefully removing her unique shoes and letting her hair out of its braid.

Inej POV

Inej's heart was pounding harder than ever, but her chest felt light as if she were on the high-wire, completely in her zone, comfortable and happy.

How far could this go? Did the events of this past morning break through so many barriers of Kaz that she didn't even begin to fathom?

They had shared sleeping spaces before, leaned on each other's backs to keep their heads from lagging in the mud, but this just felt…different. Kaz had changed into dry clothes and tossed some spares on the bed for Inej to change into, his back to her and face against the wall like a child being punished the entire time. It was kind of ridiculous when you thought of it. All the terrible experiences they had been through together, the blood and near-death injuries, and suddenly being in their undergarments in the same room caused the tension to be so intense you could taste it and cut it with a sword?

"You can have the bed. I'll sleep in my chair." Kaz mumbled as he pulled another blanket from a closet and began to rig up a footstool to prop his legs on.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kaz. This is your flat, your leg is obviously killing you, and it's not like we haven't shared close sleeping quarters before." Inej scooted as far against the wall as possible to leave ample room for Kaz on the bed. It wasn't small per se, but you could tell with every fiber of his being that Kaz was against this.

Pain won in the end and after thirty minutes of flipping and flopping in his chair, Inej finally had had enough of the noises and demanded Kaz either joined her on this bed or so help her should would hike herself back to Wylan's in this downpour.

Inej pulled the covers up to her collarbones, lowered them again, then decided on laying on her side and grasping them tight around her while Kaz lowered himself into the worn-down mattress, springs protesting the entire time. He had brought his own blanket.

Lying flat on his back, Kaz tilted his head to look Inej in her eyes, "Are you sure you're okay with this?" he whispered between booms of thunder.

Inej had felt a stone of dread in her gut and her heart throbbing in her throat when Kaz descended onto the mattress. Flashes of the menagerie pulsed in her mind, feelings of violation and pain.

But lying here, looking into the pale face of Kaz, so obviously out of his comfort zone and fretting over hers, it was obvious, nothing about this was comparable to anything she had ever experienced before.

Inej smiled and slowly nudged across the small space and propped her pillow in the crook of Kaz's shoulder and chest, reaching across his chest and finding his hand. Kaz's heart pounded audibly against her arm as Kaz's ragged breathing becomes more and more contained.

Inej inhaled Kaz's familiar scent and settled her body against his.

Kaz POV

 _This can't be real. This can't be real. This can't be real. This can't be real. Can it?_

It was humanly impossible for a human being that was just out in this downpour to be this warm and full of life.

Kaz's arm that Inej was currently using as part of her pillow was stiff, carefully he shifted, just enough, and felt instant relief.

Kaz laid his head closer to Inej's head, her inky hair spread all over his pillows, and thanked the Saints.

"I love you, Inej…" Kaz mumbled as he drifted off to sleep with Inej tucked into him, grasping his hand, and praying that daylight stayed far on the horizon.

 **A/N: So we learned two things: I suck at one-shots (they turn into two-shots) and apparently these two bring out the long-windedness of me. Hopefully this doesn't turn into TL:DR, but let me know what you guys think!**


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